SHREE SAI LEELA JULY 1985

Shri SAI LEELA

Special Gurupournima Number

Editorial

On the second of this month Gurupournima will be celebrated all over India by various people from various walks of life. Guru has got a unique place in the mind of all Indians. The Hindu religion recognizes the debt of everyone on the society and therefore certain days are fixed every year when such debt could be repaid by acknowledging the guidance given by a person to the society. The festival of Gurupournima is thus meant for acknowledging the favour done by the Guru on the society at large and it is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Ashadha every year.

ANCIENT TRADITION

This day is also known as the Vyaspournima. Vyas, who is also known as Veda-Vyas, is supposed to be the first Guru. He is said to have classified the Vedic Hymns and rearranged them in four parts known as the four Vedas. He also assigned these four Vedas to his four disciples so that they became closely attached to them and also tried to maintain them in the original form, keeping them away from all sorts of external influences. Because of this division, the followers of all these Vedas learnt all their hymns by heart and passed them on to the future generation in the same form in which they learnt them. It is because of this love for their legacy that we have got today the Vedic hymns in their original form, as they were composed before thousands of years.

Shri Vyasmuni is also supposed to have composed the eighteen Puranas, the Bharat and the Bhagawat. Because of this vast literary legacy left to us by Vyasmuni, the Gurupournima is also called the Vyas-Pournima and all Gurus from Vyas onwards are thanked on this day with great reverence and gratitude.

In the ancient Indian Society a child was taught to show reverence to all elders who helped him to shape his life. ‘Pithru devo bhava’ ‘Mathru devo bhava’ ‘Aacharya devo bhava’ ‘Athithi devo bhava’ (Be one to whom the father, the mother, the preceptor and the guest, are like God) were some of the orders given to a child, which show the high regard that the society, by and large, had for the father, mother, preceptor and the guest. We are concerned here mainly with the high regards that the ancient Aryan Society had for the Guru and the way in which it was expressed from time to time.

The Rishies of ancient days were highly educated persons and their ashrams were like a residential University where all the students had to stay together with the Guru all the while upto the time when they were declared to be ‘Snathak’ (Graduates) and were allowed by the Guru to go to their houses and start their ‘Gruhasthashram’ (married life). The kings had very high regard for these Gurus and they sent their princes to these Gurus for training. It is also noteworthy that these princes had to stay with other students and even help the Guru’s family in their domestic work. Lord Shrikrishna is said to have stayed in the Ashram of his Guru, Sandipani and helped the wife of the Guru in domestic work by even procuring firewood from the jungle. Similarly Shreerama also had to stay with his Gurus Vasishtha and Vishwamitra for acquiring proficiency in archery and other warfare. Dronacharya was the Guru of the Pandavas and the Kauravas and he trained them in archery. The story of Eklava, who was refused to be accepted as a student by Dronachrya because of his low caste is very pertinent in this matter of reverence to the Guru. Simply by his concentration, Eklava could acquire proficiency in archery, which excelled even the proficiency of Arjuna, who was taught archery directly by Guru Dronacharya.

Apart from these examples of students from the royal family, we are told about some examples of students from the common fold. Dhaumya Rishi had told his student to go and guard the field. He had told his student to stop the field from flooding. After seeing that he was not able to prevent the flow of water into the field, we are told that the student himself lay in the bund wall of the field in roder to arrest the flood water. The order of the Guru was thus held in high esteem and it was followed to its last letter. In the historic times also we see that the Guru had not lost his importance. Among the Sikhs we find that their religious leaders are known as Guru and they have shown great forbearance and qualities of leadership. They withstood all the persecution at the hands of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and led their followers to progress. This is the reason why we find that the Sikhs as a community hold a unique position in the present day India. Another famous example of a disciple who was shaped by his Gurus, Dadaji Konddeo and Ramdas, is that of Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha kingdom. Dadaji Konddeo guided Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj in political matters while Samarth Ramdas was guiding the Chhatrapati in Spiritual as well as political matters. Many such cases of Gurus and disciples could be traced from historical records; but that is not necessary. We can judge the general trend of the disciples from the few examples which have been quoted above.

MODERN AGE

Life has become very complex in the modern age. It has got many facets. It is therefore necessary to acquire special knowledge in various branches, Economics, history, literature, accountancy, engineering, medicine, journalism, politics and science are some of the subjects in which people have to acquire deep knowledge, which does not become possible without the guidance of a Guru. Many prominent persons, who have risen to high positions are often times acknowledging the debt of their Gurus for the guidance given by them in their study. In the Universities, research scholars have to necessarily work under a guide (Guru). Many research scholars working in the medical and scientific field are very often expressing gratitude for their Gurus. It will thus be seen that the “Guru Shishya Parampara” (Teacher-Student tradition) has not been broken fully in the modern age, though it may not exist in the form in which it flourished in the days of the Aryan Rishies.

After India acquired independence, it was noticed by the common man that a political leader acquires immence power. So Politics has at present pervaded the entire public life in India. In this field too the tradition of the teacher - student relation exists and it is acknowledged publicly by many great leaders. Mahatma Gandhi for example always used to say that Shri Gopal Krishna Gokhale was his political Guru. Acharya Vinobaji Bhave was known to be the disciple of Mahatma Gnadhi. When Lokamanya Tilak was at the head of the Indian Politics, he had many followers, who later on started calling themselves as the disciples of Shri Lokamanya Tilak in the political field. With a view to getting some prominence by making use of the name of some person, holding a high position, is a common practice. Hence in recent years we see Royists calling themselves as disciples of Comrade M.N.Roy, When Shri Yashwantrao Chavan was the Chief Minister of the Maharashtra State and later on a Minister in the Central cabinet, many persons used his name by calling him their Political Guru. Similar examples of exploiting the names of other political leaders can be cited as they are very common. However all this discussion leads us to know that the teacher - student tradition still exists in some form or the other and it will continue for ever.

Due to the frustration in modern life, many people have started taking recourse to spiritualism. Hence spiritual Gurus also have risen in modern age like mushrooms, which grow very suddenly. Because of the pomp and show and the miracles that these Gurus are showing, the common man is baffled and he often times does not know what to do. Many of these modern so called spiritual Gurus have their agents appointed for making their propaganda and spreading their greatness to which the common man falls a prey and these Gurus swindle the disciples in many ways. It has therefore become very difficult for the common man to find out a real Guru in this jungle of modern Gurus. Even though Shri Sai Baba did not name anybody as His disciple or as His heir, still some people are misusing the name of Shri Sai Baba for their benefit; but exploiting somebody’s name for one’s own benefit is a common feature and nobody will be able to prevent it.

Shri Annasaheb Dabholkar, who was a sincere Sai devotee, had very high regards for Shri Sai Baba as his Guru. We find in many places his sincere devotion to his Guru. Shri Dabholkar has described Shri Baba from various points of view and has also acknowledged his debt in giving him the inspiration to compose Shri Baba’s biography. Shri Sai Baba Himself also had high regard for His Guru, as can be seen from the various incidents described in Shri Sai Sachcharit. It will therefore be seen that we Sai devotees are grooved well in the teacher-student tradition.

All of us, who are the devotees of Shri Sai Baba, are singularly lucky that Shri Baba’s thoughts are before us. His advice is known very clearly from Sai Sachcharit and as it is very simple to follow, there is no difficulty in understanding the mind of this Guru and following Him to the last letter of His advice. All Sai devotees should therefore pray to our Guru on the Gurupournima day on the 2nd of this month. In this connection one thing is required to be made very clear. Most of the Sai devotees crave to go to Shirdi on the festive day of Gurupournima and have darshan of Shri Sai Baba at Shirdi. The sincere devotion of these devotees prompts them to attend Shirdi for the festival and those that are lucky get a chance to remain present at Shirdi on this festive day; but some, who are not able to go to Shirdi on this day, get, frustrated. It is not proper on their part to do so. If they think that Shri Sai Baba is only at Shirdi, then it may be said that they have not properly known their Guru. As Shri Sai Baba stayed at Shirdi for more than sixty years, there is no doubt that Shirdi is sanctified by His stay over there for so long a time and it is therefore considered very holy by every Sai devotee and he has a wish to undergo a pilgrimage of that place; but from Sai Sachcharit we know that Shri Sai Baba is not confined to Shirdi alone though we common people may think like that. By the incidents recorded in Sai Sachcharit it has been amply proved that Shri Sai Baba is omnipresent and from the experiences of the devotees that we come across even now, we know that this fact is corroborated even at the present day. All Sai devotees should therefore pray to Shri Sai Baba in the local Mandirs with full devotion and feeling that Shri Sai Baba is present there and then they will start feeling the presence of Shri Sai Baba then and there. Emotion and devotion count very much in the spiritual line and if we are able to rise to a certain level then only we get the experience. The devotees, who go to Shirdi for the pilgrimage of that place have different experiences. Some who are able to rise to a certain spiritual level are able to feel the presence of Shri Sai Baba in Lendibaug, Samadhi Mandir, Chawadi, Gurustan and other places at Shirdi; while others are not able to feel it. This is due to the different level of devotion. On this very auspicious day of Gurupournima, which is very holy for every Sai devotee, we pray at the feet of Shri Sai Baba to bless all His devotees with prosperity in this world and the next.

*****
Report of the Eleventh Annual Gathering at Shirdi

Monday 28.01.1985 (IV Session)

Shri R.D.Bannesaheb, the Executive Officer of the Shirdi Sansthan, then delivered his concluding speech. He said, “The Board of Trustees have recently taken charge of the Shirdi Sanstah. They are aware that old Sai devotees were famous in their field and if information about them is given in Shri Sai Leela magazine then it would not be much out of place; but there should not be a blind faith. You have all given your suggestions for improving the standard of Shri Sai Leela magazine and the Board of Trustees is also eager to do it. The suggtestions made by you will be placed before the Board for their consideration and it will take decision on them”.

“I have heard your suggestion to get the Marathi Pothi of Shri Sai Satcharit translated word to word into Hindi. In this connection I have to inform you that we were already in touch with one famous Hindi writer Shri Thakur Bhupatisinha for doing the translation and another enthusiast Prof. Adya Prasad Tripathi also has promised to undertake this work. So we propose to entrust the work to both these well-versed Hindi authors and you can expect to get the book very soon (clapping from the audience). Devotion to Shri Sai Baba is spreading far and wide and it should spread in a proper way. For that purpose I would request your co-operation. You are writing articles and composing poems. In addition to that if you would send your suggestions they will be welcomes by us.”

“The Board has taken charge only four months back in September 1984 and it has made many improvements during this period, which you must have already noticed. There is a constant complaint from the subscribers that occasionally they do not receive their issue. To this complaint we give a stock reply that we have posted your issue on due date and you may better make enquiries in the Post Office; but this reply does not solve the problem. I have therefore to make a suggestion that in large cities where we are posting round about fifty or more issues, could it not be made convenient by the subscribers to collect their issue from a particular place, which would be chosen by the subscribers themselves? We would send a parcel of all those issues at that place every month. Please give a thought to this arrangement in which the subscriber has less chances to lose his issue”.

“The experiences of devotees about Shri Sai Baba are no doubt required to be published in Shri Sai Leela magazine as they help to promote devotion. You should therefore make it a point to send such experiences for publication in Shri Sai Leela which would help to achieve permanent solace. In the articles that you are writing, you should try to explain the teaching of Shri Sai Baba”.

“The executive editors are working single-handed and their work is more or less honorary. We have therefore to consider whether full time editors would be necessary and also how we could improve the get up of the magazine. In this connection I have to inform you that for improvement of the Sansthan, in all projects worth Rs.9.5 crores are under consideration of the Board of Trustees and establishing a printing press of the Sansthan is also likely to be included in that. Then we may be able to give better get up to our magazine. Due to administrative work I could nto attend last two sessions. However, all your suggestions have been noted down and they will be placed before the Board for their consideration. I hope you were comfortable during the last two days here, I thank you for having made this gathering a complete success.”

Shri Banne delivered his speech in Marathi and as promised before Dr. Parcure then gave a summery of his speech in English. He said, “I am not a steno. Therefore it will not be possible for me to give you complete speech of Shri Bannesaheb word to word. However I have taken a few notes of his speech and from there I will give you a short summary of his speech.” After this Dr.Parchure told in English the summary of the speech, which is reproduced above at length.

One Ex-President from Ahmednagar Shri G.J.Chitamber who came after the session was started, was sitting among the audience and he was then requested to speak. He said in his short speech. “I am sorry that, even being so near, I could not attend the gathering for full two days because of the serious illness of my wife. However at the prompting of Shri Sai Baba, I came here to take His darshan and particularly to meet you all, who are coming here year after year for this gathering with a view to improving Shri Sai Leela magazine. I hope you all have enjoyed your stay for two days here and made valuable suggestions for improving the magazine. I hope the Executive Officer will do the needful to implement them as the Board of Trustees is also keen about it. I thank you all for having given me this opportunity at the eleventh hour to address you and also for having given to me a patient hearing”.

The President, Ex-presidents, the Executive Officer, and the Executive Editors were then felicitated by the deligates, who attended the gathering, by offering to them garland and a memento. Professor Gunderao Patwari and Professor R.S.Pujari then thanked the Executive Officer and his staff for making good arrangements of the gathering. Dr. (Mrs.) Sumati Khanvilkar also thanked the Executive Officer on behalf of the lady delegates. Dr.Parchure then propsed a vote of thanks. He said “Sai brothers and Sai sisters, as I said in my preliminary speech we may have the opinion that our magazine is good. Still we have to remember that after good there is always the better and best and hence we have to try for that. I thank all the delegates for having taken the trouble of coming over here for this gathering and given your valuable suggestion for improving our magazine. I thank the President and the Ex-presidents for having attended this gathering even at their advance age and given their valuable experiences to the delegates. I thank the Executive officer Shri Bannesaheb for having made the best arrangements for the delegates. I thank all the staff of the Shirdi Sansthan who attended on the delegates from the time they came to Shirdi and made all arrangements for their stay, lunch, tea etc. I thank Shri D.C.Pathak sahib, the Office Superintendent of the Shirdi Sansthan, for having attended the sessions of the gathering and for giving full cooperation. Similarly I thank Executive Editor Shri Sadanand Chendwankar and his son Subhash, who tried for the comfort of the delegates and made all arrangements for them. I thank the trustees Shri Kakare, Shri Borovke and Shri Gopinath Kote Patil who remained present in the gathering and listened to the speeches of the delegates patiently”.

On both the days, the poets and other delegates were allowed to give their cultural programme in the Samadhi Mandir from 7.30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

FAREWELL

Dear Sai Brothers and Sai Sisters,

With a heavy heart I am bidding you good bye from this issue of Shri Sai Leela. I am very much thankful to you for the love and respect that you have shown for me as the Executive Editor of this magazine during my tenure of Office in that capacity. I am also very much thankful to you for the appreciation that you have orally shown for my articles and by writing letters.

While taking you leave after working as Executive Editor for twelve long years, I remember how I was drawn in the Sai fold in the year 1973. As mentioned by Shri Sai Baba in Chapter XXVIII of the Sai Sachcharit, I was regularly drawn by Shri Sai Baba towards Him by tying a string to my leg. My elder brother Professor D.D.Parchure was then working as the Executive Editor of Shri Sai Leela magazine. He succumbed to a very severe heart attack on 1st June 1973 and a very wide breach was created in the editorial staff of this magazine as if by the severe shock of an earthquake. At that time the work of both the issues of this magazine was being looked after by only one Executive Editor and therefore a very big question mark stood before the eyes of the ten Court Receiver, Shri k.S.Pathak, who was also the Editor of this magazine because of his office as the Court receiver. Shri Pathaksaheb knew that I was contributing articles to some Marathi and English periodicals and therefore he sent for me and requested me to take over the work of the Executive Editor immediately. I was however serving in the Bombay Municipal corporation at that time and I was therefore doubtful whether I would be able to do full justice to this job. I therefore requested Shri Pathaksaheb to wait for one month as I was due to retire in July 1973 due to superannuation. He waited accordingly and I took over this work in August 1973.

Though I was contributing articles to various periodicals, they did not specifically relate to spiritual matters. As however this magazine was entirely devoted to spiritual and religious matters. I was doubtful in the beginning whether I would be able to run the show properly. It was because of the slight diffidence that I had never before that time submitted any article for publication in Shri Sai Leela magazine though requested repeatedly by my brother in that behalf. Due to the passing away of my brother on 01.06.1973 however it was my bad luck that the first article that I contributed to this magazine was about the sad demise of my late brother. However after taking over the charge of this magazine as its Executive Editor, Shri Sai Baba showered His blessings fully on me and helped me to shake off my diffidence. He infused confidence in me and my articles started appearing in this magazine from month to month. Some readers were sending letter appreciating these articles; but let me tell openly that like Shri Hemadpant I also feel that Shri Sai Baba held my pen and wrote the articles. After getting the inspiration from Shri Sai Baba, I used to be fully engrossed in every article and after sending it to the press my mind used to be completely blank about the next article when Shri Sai Baba used to suggest the subject of the next article all of a sudden and inspire me to develop it. This is how I treaded on the path of the Executive Editorship of this magazine.

I thank all my Sai brothers and Sai sisters once again for the love they have shown for me and the Co-operation that was given to me by the staff of the Shirdi Sansthan at the Shirdi Office especially Shri R.D.Bannesaheb, the Present Executive Officer and Shri D.C.Pathaksaheb, the Office Superintendent and the staff at Bombay Office due to which I was able to shoulder the responsibilities of the post of the Executive Editor of this magazine. I have also to thank our printers, the proprietors of the Maratha Printing Press, who are printing this magazine, for the since Co-operation that they gave to me due to which we were able to finish our work always in time and bring out the issue on due date.

I hope to come to your visit occasionally in future by means fo some articles if they are found suitable for publication by the Editor in the meanwhile,

I remain,
Very Sincerely yours,

S.D.Parchure,
Bombay - 400 016.

Spread of Sai Devotion in Andhra Pradesh

Today, in every nook and corner of our country, Sai Baba temples are found and still they are being constructed. No other saint has so many temples. Sai Baba attained Samadhi in 1981 and even after 66 years of his Mahasamadhi, so many temples were constructed for Him, which fact bears eloquent testimony to His incarnation and miraculous powers. Needless to say that He was the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya, the three faced deity , born to the pious couple Atri and Anasuya.

Notable among Sai devotees in Andhra Pradesh are M/s Bapatla Hanumantha Rao, Sai Kuteer, Chinna Ganjam, Dr.Kandali Raja Gopalachari of Nellore, Smt.Anna Purnamma of Kurnool, Mataji Krishna Priya of Ramachandrapuram, GVR Naidu of Secunderabad and Ekkirala Bharadwaja of Ongole. All these devotees are either inspired by Sai Baba of Shirdi or Shri B.V.Narasimha Swamiji and Swami Keshavaiahji of Madras. The latter two were staunch devotees of Sai Baba, who spread Sai cult and devotion in the south by their constant tours, lectures, satsangs, distribution of Udi and performance of pujas and installation of Sai idols. They can be aptly compared to Nanasaheb Chandorkar and Dasganu Maharaj, who spread the fame of Baba in the state of Maharashtra by personal talks and splendid kirtans respectively.

Devotees of Rajahmundry constructed a temple in 1956 and named it ‘Shri Sai Rama Mandir’. Shri Dinavahi Satyanarayana took much interest in the construction of this temple. Firstly, there was an oil paint photo placed in the temple. Later an idol of marble was installed in its place. There is an incident connected with this installation. The devotees sent one among them to bring a marble statue of Baba from Jaipur in Rajasthan. He reached Jaipur and saw a marble statue of Baba made for Nellore temple. He was taken aback by seeing the beauty of the statue. That night he had a dream in which four Sadhus appeared asked him to take the statue himself. He was robbed of his clothes the same night. But the sculptor gave him clothes and asked him to take the same statue prepared for Nellore temple. Baba blessed Bhaskaramma, wife of Dinavahi Satyanarayana with a silver rupee of 1951 and a copper coin of 1945. He appeared to have sat in her lap and taught her Sai Mantra.

Shri Shirdi Sai Baba temple of Nellore is also famous. Dr.Kandadi Rajagopalachari got a photo of Sai baba hung on one of the wall in his dispensary, presented to him by late Chunduri Subbaiah Setty. One night, a Fakir appeared in his dream and showed to Dr.Rajagopalachari his injured knee from which pus was coming. Next day, the doctor went to his dispensary and found the photo of Baba damaged and eaten up by insects upto the knee. With the blessings of Swami Narasimha Swamiji, the temple at Nellore came into existence.

A devotee, by name Krishnamurthy, visited Shirdi in 1965 and after his pilgrimage, Krishnamurthy was blessed with a son who constructed a temple in Khammam. The temples at Chirala and Perala were constructed with the active support of Shri B.V.Narasimha Swamiji.

Shri Sai Baba Mandir at Naidupet reveals the miraculous powers of Sai Baba. One poor man by name Kotaru Venkatramulu heard much about Sai Baba from Dr.Rajagopalachari of Nellore. In 1985, one day his son Sai Baba Krishna aged about 13 years accidentally fell into a well in the backyard. Immediately he was removed. Though the boy remained in the water for about 10 to 20 minutes still he was safe. When questioned, the boy told the parents that an old Fakir caught hold of him in the well and saved him from drowning.

Shri Sainadhuni Devalayam at Bhattiprolu has its own legend. In 1967, a committee of Sai devotees was formed and in 1974 a temple was constructed wherein a black granite stone of Baba was installed. A Gita Mandir was also constructed in the upper story of the temple. Once the watchman of this temple heard sounds of cymbals (chiplis) and anklets (gajjelu) from the temple. Other also heard the sound; but when they peeped inside nobody was present there. Again when a devotee had a darshan of Baba in the temple, he could recite a sloka in Sanskrit extempore.

The idol of Sai Baba was installed in the temple at Kurnool in 1951. There are several miracles of Baba exhibited and noticed by the devotees in this temple. The blessed devotee responsible for the construction of this temple is Smt.Annapurnamma, wife of Veeraswamy. She visited Shirdi in 1949 and came under the influence of Shri Baba. After return from Shirdi, she erected a small pendal with thatches near Kurnool bus stand and installed Baba’s photo there. She is worshipping Baba there. Once Shri Samartha Narayanaswami was passing that way when his car was damaged near the pendal. Hearing Bhajan, he came to the pendal. He pointed out a particular place to the devotes and asked them to construct a temple there. In 1949, the holy couple undertook the construction work and their business increased considerably after undertaking this holy mission. During the period of construction, a store room sprang up a small mound. When the couple visited Shirdi again, the old Abdul Baba greeted them ‘Karnoolvale! Aavo’. He told them that Sai Baba was residing in the mound of the store room at Kurnool. A boy stole a rupee offered as Dakshina near the heap and he fainted seeing several colours there. Smt.Annapurnamma noticed this and called the boy to place two rupees as a penalty there and bow before the heap. The boy became alright after doing this and she found a big headed cobra in the mound. The couple placed an order for a marble statue of Sai Baba far in advance of the installation ceremony. Though the same was sent by parcel, due to incorrect address, the same was sent to Pakisthan and later reached Nagar Kurnool. The idol was at last brought to Kurnool in 1951 and later installed on Vijaya Dashami day. Smt. Annapurnamma had several experiences and witnessed several miracles of Baba during her life.

One T.B. Ramaswamy, upper division clerk in A.P. civil supplies department had a dream in which Baba appeared sitting on a stone near a hillock in Lalaguda with a beard and a lantern in his hand. Next day, while going to the office, Ramaswamy found a photo of Baba hanging in a shop. Out of curiosity, he went to the nearby hillock and found the statue, which appeared in his dream. He constructed a small temple near the stone and placed Baba’s photo in it. He was worshipping him with devotion. The locality was named by him as ‘Sai Nagar’. Now this locality is famous as Sai Baba Nagar and Sai Baba statue, four feed in height, was installed in the temple. This relates to the Sai Baba temple in Lala Guda near Hyderabad.

The Sai Baba idol in Isukapalli near Repalle was installed by Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi. The story goes that a Sai devotee’s son-in-law had to be operated for an ailment. He sought the advice of Shri Vemuri Venkateswara Rao who advised the latter to go round Sai Baba’s photo 108 times a day for a week. Afterwards, a black dog would come and suck the face of the sickly person. After forty days, Baba would come for Bhiksha. All these things went off as foretold and the person got rid of his ailment and became healthy without the need to undergo any operation. To show his gratitude, he got Baba’s idol from Jaipur and got the same installed by Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi.

Shri Mutylayya, an employee and a Sai devotee came to Vizag on transfer from Rajahmundry. He was doing Sai Prachar, holding Sai Satsangs at various places as per the directions of Shri B.V.Narasimha Swamy. Hindusthan Shipyard Committee allotted 500 square feet site for the construction of Sai temple and thus the Sai temple in Gandhigram in Vizag came up in 1974.

The Sai Baba Mandir at Vuyyuru was constructed in 1979 on a site opposite to K.C.P.Sugar Factory and the foundation was laid by Swami Keshavaiahji.

Shri Sai Syamalayam was constructed in 1954 by Mataji Krishna Priya with the active support of Shri Bikkini Venkataratnam in Ramachandrapuram of East Godawari District.

There are Sai temples in Secunderabad near Pat Market, Mission School Street, Nallakunta, Piket and west Maredupalli localities.

There are also Sai temples constructed in Radhakrishnagar, Sankarapuram in Cuddapah, Tadepalligudem, Bhimavaram, Madanapalli in Andhra Pradesh. Construction of Sai temple in Ongole is in progress and Sai temple at Vidyanagar near Vakadu was constructed by Shri E.Bharadwaja with the support of Sai devotees all over Andhra.

Y.C. Subba Rao
Advocate and Notary,
Ongole - 523 002, Andhra Pradesh.

Bond of Love Divine

Our destiny is to find Lord Sainath and to realise that His image lives within the temple of our mortal body and mind. Finding Him within through realisation of the Self, we find the cosmic beloved, Lord Sainath, in all manifestations of nature and in His formless self as ‘sat-chit-ananda’, ever existing, ever conscious’ ever new bliss.

When the Sai-image within awakens to the glorious realisation that it is a reflection of the Omnipotent, Omniscient Omnipresent Lord, what then shall we crave, what love heart yearns for, what attainment will be beyond our grasp, what joy will elude us? We must realise that we ourselves are the reflected source of all fulfillment, love and joy.

Readers of ‘Shri Sai Leela’ are aware that Shri T.A.Ramna then, of Srangabad, has catalysed a postal ‘Sai Satsang, in which he has brought several Sai-brothers and Sai-sisters together in the consciousness of love divine. With the strong but gentle thread of love, he has bound us together to form a fragrant garland of devotion, of love, to be offered at the lotus feet of Lord Sainath. Through his affectionate letters, paper clippings, books and magazines, Sri Ramnathen has inflamed our hearts with a burning desire for Sainath, because he has kept always before us the ideal that love for Sainath must come first, then the spirit of love for all others. His couplet “be ever in Shirdi Sai, be thus in sai joy” always echoes in our ears.

In August 1983, by a ‘diving play’ of Lord Sainath, Shri Ramnathen misplaced a clipping addressed to Miss Usha Hiremath of Bijapur and posted it to me. I was not surprised as Shri Ramnathen works under stress, as he communicates with tens and hundreds of Sai-devotees. Lord Sainath prompted me to go through back numbers of ‘Shri Sai Leela’ and locate the address of Miss Usha.

I wrote a letter to her introducing myself and enclosed the ‘clipping’ which Shri Ramnathen had so affectionately earmarked for her. Within a week, I got her reply and she had affectionately addressed me: ‘Dear Brother’.

It was the 23rd August 1983 - auspicious day of ‘Rakhi Poornima’ - I have no sisters by same parentage and was depply touched by the affectionate sentiments expressed by a young lady staying 600 KM. from my place. What a bond of divine love that Lord Sainath brought forth. I was immediately reminded of what Pascal, the mathematician mystic of the 17th century, felt Lord Jesus telling him (Pensees page No.50): “ I love thee more ar4dently than thou lovest ……… Thou wouldst not seek Me, if thou didst not possess Me”. This way the grace started operating on us.

Soon the horizons of our holy divine love expanded. My wife, Seetha and children - Sai Raghu and Sai prabhu - became fond of her and exchanged letters. Her father, Shri D.P.Hiremath, District Judge of Bijapur, too wrote a couple of affectionate letters to us, with the knowledge that the breeze of divine grace has been gently carrying onward our little boat of individuality on the waters of life towards the ocean of total fulfillment. They invited us to visit Bijapur and accordingly Lord Sainath prompted us to be with them on the 29th February 1984 to celebrate the holy, Shivaratri.

We motored to Birur - 150 KM. away from our, estate to catch the Miraj Express in the night. Just before we got into the Jeep, the postman brought our mail and the first cover contained a letter from Shri A.S.Venkatachalam, an ardent Sai- devotee of Bombay, who had enclosed ‘Udhi’ and a small photograph of Lord Sainath. This initial note of divine grace gave us the message of hope and assurance.

We had a comfortable night journey in the train and reached Hubli next morning. We had to catch the noon train to Bijapur. Shri R.Radhkrishnan, a Sai-devotee-par-excellence of Hubli, had braved the cold weather to receive us at the Hubli Railway Station and took us to his residence in the Railway Colony. His family received us affectionately. We felt the Sai atmosphere in his residence, as Lord Krishna has said:- “The supreme Lord is ever present in the heart space of all beings.” (Bhagavadgita 18:66). We also had the ‘prasad’ of Shri Radhakrishnan’s completion of parayana of ‘Sai Satcharit’. After lunch we caught the noon train to Bijapur which is 250 KM. from Hubli.

When we landed at Bijapur Railway Station at 7.30 p.m. on the 29th February, 1984, we were wondering as to how to recognize our hosts on the platform, as we had not met earlier. At this juncture Chi.Usha with her brother, Chi.Mahesh, came to us and greeted us. She told us that Sainath Himself directed her to us and to quote john Ruysbroeck:- “God in the depths of us receives God who comes to us, it is God contemplating God.” (Selected Works of Ruysbroeck Page No.48).

We were too happy to meet each other. Sister Usha felt something familiar about me, and soon said:- “You resemble my brother Jagadish, who is dong law at Belgaum”. What a wonder of wonders, when we reached their palatial bungalow, he parents - Srh D.P.Hiremath and Smt.Sulochana Devi - were happy to note the resemblance in my features with their eldest son. We were all bound by a divine bond of love by Lord Sainath.

At this turn of events, we mused over several incidents in ‘Shri Sai Satcharit’ wherein Baba traces the past lives of others. We felt that as in the case of Mrs.Khaparde (Sai Satcharita 9th edition (English) pp., 148-149), myself and Chi.Usha could have been born together in our past births.

Their sitting room adorns a big portrait of Lord Sainath and sister Usha told me that it was her maiden painting on galss. The portrait has a lively manifestation of Lord Sainath in ‘Ashirvad’ pose and spontaneously, I invoked His blessings:-

“……… A sudden dawning hath come upon me with a lightening flash,]
Now I sit with but one prayer in my heart;
That Thou fillest me with Thy love first and last
Only this I ask with all heart and soul.”

The three days we were with them, I could make out the intense devotion they all had for Lord Sainath. Shri D.P.Hiremath, District Judge, is leading a life with an attitude of faith and surrender to Lord Sainath, with one sustaining thought:- “You - Lord Sainath - You, You, You”. Their entire family feels so much a part of Lord Sainath that each one of them relates every experience to Lord Sainath. Whether he is involved in worldly affairs, busy in the Court chambers, or with his family members, Shri Hiremath realizes it is all Sainath, from Sainath and for Sainath. When he has that sacred attitude wherein he strives to see Sainath in his relationship with his family members and other, it is possible to behold another facet of Sai’s nature. We felt that his entire family members live, move and have their beings in the one divine beloved, Lord Sainath.

We visited Bara Kaman, Gol Gumbaz and other places of tourist importance. On the evening of the 1st March 1984 (Thursday), we worshipped Sainath together in their home-shrine. Sister Usha sang a few songs with harmonium background. Some Judicial Officers of Bijapur were also present there. Sainath sprang a surprise for me, when sister Usha gifted me with a bi portrait of Lord Sainath a lively painting done by her on glass. Tears welled in my eyes for her profound afftection. Before the great mystery of the unknown, man is but a child!

After three days of a touch of divine grace and the intimacy of man with God, we entrained on the night of the 3rd March 1984 on our way back to the estate. While bidding ‘au revoir’ to my beloved sister, whom I met with the bond of Sainath’s divine love, I thought of Brother Lawrence (Practice of the presence of God, pp, 16-19):- “I engaged in a religious life only for Him; whatever becomes of me, whether I be lost or saved, I will always continue to act purely for the love of God.”

We had a unique trip to Bijapur. After experiencing the love divine that flows from Lord Sainath through us, it gives a glow to life that nothing else on earth - no powers, no glories, no amount of sense satisfaction can give us. By clinging to the consciousness of Lord Sainath as we pass through all experiences life brings, we once again behold ourselves, and everyone around us, as part of the infinite whole.



Dr.G.R.Vijayakumar
Chikmagalur District (Karnataka)

The Infinite Grace

I grew up in my aunt’s house in a village since I was 2 years old. There I used to watch my niece perform Aarti with a child’s curiosity. When she reached 16 she was married. Her first delivery was a difficult one. In villages in those only the barber’s wife did the mid-wifery and she said that my nece has to be taken to Hispital as her acute labour pains continued unabated. The nearest town was 6 miles away and the available conveyance was by bullock-cart and the road was bumpy, uneven and katcha. Not a recommendable proposition. So all were worried. Meantime hearing our conversation, amidst her labour pains, she said that Baba will protect her. So saying she cried aloud “Baba, Baba, Baba”. At the doorway of the room where she was lying, there appeared a hand in abhaya mudra and soon after she delivered a baby without any difficulty. This happened in 1939 on an evening at about 6.45. That was my first conscious introduction to Baba’s leelas. Later in the company of my mother, who used to observe a vow on Thursdays and perform Aarti, my faith in the Almighty was developed and sealed.

I used to write songs in praise of the Lord whenever I was in distress and sing them. I have composed so far more than 4000 songs. I was and I am worshipping Balaji of Tirupathi, our family diety and also Lord Subrahmanya, Goddess Mahalakshmi and Rajarajeswari Devi. I observe a vow on Saturdays and Krithiga days. I have Baba’s photo in my pooja room. A day before Krithiga I used to have dream when a big cobra used to come and dance on my chest. This was just a reminder to me that the next day was Krithiga, the day of Lord Subrahmanya. I started my Saturday vow when I was in an acute difficult situation. I took a vow that I will write 108 songs - one each day - on Lord Balaji and my troubles must be over before I complete 108. Graciously enough my trouble was over soon after.

Once I was virtually on death-bed because of severe jaundice. I was then just 32 years old with a yound wife and two kids. I left hope of my life as the doctors numbered my days. My people were all weeping by my bed-side when my old mainservant came and said to my wife, “Take a vow to deposit your mangala-sutra in Balaji’s Hundi, if he became alright”. Hearing this, I gathered all my feeble strength and shouted at her stating that I have no more belief in Balaji, who could not help my recovery. At this the maid servant became unconscious suddenly and Balaji possed her and said “Dear child I have been protecting you from long (instances were quoted here). Why do you lose confidence in me now? You will be cured by a doctor who will come today from south. Apologise for your words”. My maid servant did not know any of the incidents in my life; but she quoted them all correct. Later the doctor came as prophesied, cured me and I bear witness to this.

When I was in India I used to attend bhajans on Thursdays. I went to Mbeya in Tanzania and there I used to conduct bhajans on Monday in temple and Thursdays in my house regularly. Recently in Oman I had occasion to meet one gentleman named Saibaba whose office is next to mine. When he was introduced to me I nearly picked up a quarrel with him questioning how he can have his name as “Saibaba”. Now he is a very good friend of mine and he took me to Dr.Homi Kaikobad’s house, where I was since then attending Sai Satsangh and Aarti regularly.

A couple of months back I had a dream. I was on the last step of a staircase in a Railway station. An old lady in mid - 50’s was sitting in a wheel-chair. She was wearing a red saree, red blouse, red kumkum, and her jewels were shining most radiantly. Next to her an old man, in torn clothes, was also standing with a rickshaw who asked me, “My son, tell me where you want to go? I will take you. This lady also follows me in her wheel-chair”. I was then worried about my job opportunities and was praying to Goddess Rajarajeshwari and Baba to show me a right place. The result was the dream. It was a symbolic assurance of help which I got quickly later! I always get answers in my dreams, and my dreams come true.

I am a Tamil Brahmin and Civil Engineer. My family is in Madras. I am 50 years old now and have one son and 4 daughters. Three of them are married all within a range of 45 days. It is all His grace. I always find His hand and guidance and feel his presence in everything. I do not see any difference between Lord Venkateshwara (Venkusa?) and Shirdi Baba. I don’t know why but Dr. Homi took a special liking for me and I am grateful to hi. He was the leading light in Sai devotion in Muscat. I am nothing when compared to his revelations. He is utterly a Sai Diwana with Sai perpetually on his lips and in his heart. He always had an irresistible urge to meet the echoes of his inner call. Answering this call, one day he suddenly left Muscat, God knows where, without a word to anybody, in search of the Greater Self, throwing away a flourishing practice, his many-sided popularity, his ever-widening circle of friends and well-wishers. I am sure he left to find a place of solitude in some unknown and obscure corner of the world where, without any disturbance from devotees or patients, he can pursue this spiritual urge which became a magnificent obsession for him. But the imprint that he left in Muscat is too deep to be erased or forgotten. We miss him like the Gopis of Vrindavana in the absence of their Krishna, the Eternal Flute Player.



M.R.Kannan
Ruwi-Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
(Article based on a letter received by
Shri K.Navin Chander from Hyderabad)
Shri Sai Baba - The Bestower of Boons

Long ago in Arabia there was a Saint called Ibn-Al-Arabi. Once he sat down facing the Kaba in the West. After long time he turned round happily and demanded his supper which he ate very heartily. When he was asked about it, he replied that he declared to Allah that he would neither eat or drink till a man imprecating him was pardoned. He declared seventy thousand times that there is no other god except God (LA - E - LA - HA - ELLA - ALLAH). Then Allah was so much pleased that he pardoned that man and admitted him in the heaven.

It is now clear that the Saints are so beloved to the God that He accepts their prayers and grees to their requests instantly. Saints are very perfect beings, whereas we are ordinary human beings whose hearts are infested with innumerable desires, greed, jealousy, hatred, lust and all sorts of impurities. Therefore, our prayers bring delayed results. When we go to the Saints, they will understand our nature, our past, present and future and they will know what is best for our well-being and what is really required for us and they will bless us and fulfill our worthy desires. When the Saints bless us, it will be the blessing of the Lord, because they have the sanction of the Lord for whatever they do. They will not do what their Lord does not wish for us. They act according to the divine will and pleasure. Shri Sai Baba was such a beloved Saint of Allah that He instantly agreed to the recommendations. When Baba puts his benevolent hand on a person and blesses him, it becomes the blessing of the Lord of the Universe. Therefore, in gratifying our desires, in fulfilling our wishes and bestowing boons on the devotees, Shri Sai Baba became the attribute of Allah, who is the bestower of boons, and fulfiller of our wishes. The Moon does not shine by itself. The hot rays of the Sun which reflect on the Moon fall on us as the cool Moon-light. We call it Moon-light but actually it was the Sunlight. In the same way we derive help of Allah through the Saints’ cool benevolent blessings. When Allah says ‘yes’, Shri Baba says ‘yes’. When Sai Baba says “Yes”, it was Allah’s “Yes”. So I am rightly calling the merciful Sai Baba as the bestower of boons. A spiritual seeker does not seek the boons; but he seeks the bestower himself. Therefore, let us seek the giver of the gifts and not the gifts themselves. Let us seek Him and offer Him the highest seat in our hearts, so that He may sit there permanently and cleanse our hearts and purify our minds and deeds. When Sadguru is seated in our hearts, our speech becomes his speech, our deeds become his deeds and our thoughts become his thoughts. He reflects in us, thus we become the Sadguru. When the actions and deeds of the Sadguru have the sanction of the Lord and when the Sadguru reflects in us, we become the Sadguru and our actions have thus the sanction of the Lord. The Lord is one, the Sadguru is one, the creation (Man) is one. Thus, the creator and His creation are one, the Sadguru is the link. Such is the high status of the Sadguru. He unites the creator with the creation and the creation with the creator.

Our scriptures have therefore said ‘bow unto your parents’ for, they are the cause of your birth, ‘bow unto your Sadguru’ for, he is the cause of your knowledge (removes the darkness by bringing light into your life), -‘bow unto your Lord’ for, He is your creator and the protector and the Lord of the Trinity (The Brahma, the Vishnu and the Maheshwar). Also ‘bow unto the one who has given you his daughter / son in marriage’ for, in your union is the union of the body and the soul, the adwaita which is the one. Which is not dwaita - the one not separate from the other. The body and the soul are one and the same. The body is perishable - The soul is not perishable, when they are united the body (man) becomes imperishable - without our link with the divinity we remain in darkness. Sadguru provides the missing link between the man and God. He is the light which shows the way to cross the ocean of life. The Malik of the Paradise is Allah. The Sadguru is the door, the spiritual eye, which is also known as the third eye of the Lord Shiva through which a liberated person peeps into the heaven and realizes the mysteries of the creation. The more one dives deep into the divine ocean, the more one loses his link with the outer world. Such is the progress of a person who seeks divinity. They will get themselves lost in the pursuit of the mysteries of other world. Therefore simple knowledge of the divinity is enough for the people having family responsibilities. Otherwise we stand dazzled and stunned at the sight of the severe divine light and a Sadguru has to rush to help and assist us in such situations as was done in the case of Shri Mehar Baba by Shri Akkalkot Maharaj. Each person must worship the divinity in the way his religion has taught him. All rivers reach the same ocean. All religions teach the same thing - the greatness of the Lord and urge us to worship Him. Therefore, finding fault with one another is the act of destruction of the body, the mind and the soul. Real happiness lies in the realisation of the unity of the humanity, the animate and the inanimate, the body and the soul and the meaning of the words of Shri Sai Baba “Sab-Ka-Malik-Ek-Hai”. If we do not follow this and fight among ourselves, then we are not the children of Shri Sai Baba. He disowns us. When He disowns us, Allah in turn will disown us. Our real progress, spiritual development lies in our unity. The one who works to disturb our unity will take the opposite road to God Realisation.

Our country has a great spiritual heritage. Shri Rama, Shri Krishna, Shri Buddha, Shri Mahavir, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Shri Pramahamsa Yogananda, are the basis of our pride. Lord Shiva’s abode is the Kailash in the Himalayas, which is in our country itself. Crores of Musalmans, the followers of the path of the Prophet Mohammad, and Christians, the followers of the path of Jesus Christ, who all are Indians are born out of the sacred soil of India. The who is the stranger to whom? Moreover as the beloved children of Shri Sai Baba, there is no distinction of country, religion, caste or creed in them. The mission of Shri Sai Baba was / is to unite us all. If anybody acts otherwise during the light of the day or through the darkness (secretly) of the night such a person will not be dear to the heart of our beloved Shri Sai Baba. Therefore, Sai brothers and Sai sisters should strive hard to promote universal brotherhood, sisterhood, love, affection, and peaceful understanding.

O! Shri Sai Baba, the bestowed of the boons, please bestow on us, your children, the boon of jeevan mukta. The lotus springs out of the muddy waters, but still no mud is found attached to it. Thus, this worldly life is more muddy and worthless but we cannot escape from this environment. Out of this hell we must create a pleasant heaven by bringing up a ;beautiful rose garden around us, that is by purifying our bodies of the pleasures of senses, the mind from succumbing to the ill thoughts and by nourishing the inner soul by surrendering ourselves to its commands with the help of Shri Sai Baba.

When one cuts off his worldly connections and attachments slowly and gradulally, the bright and shining Angels decend from heaven and enlighten us. The Angels sit in rows around us covering the distance of the sight. A spiritual seeker should neither use harsh tongue, abusive language, a loud tone nor think of revenge. He must have a large heart accommodating all situations alike and hold his head (mind) in balance.

Having done a wrong in life, no one can escape from its effect. Once a Jewess sent the holy prophet Mohammad some roasted meat as a gift. The prophet took a piece of it and began eating after distributing to others also. Then suddenly he asked the Jewess if she had mixed poison with the meat. She asked how he came to know of it. Then she was replied that the piece of meat in his hand had told him. Those who ate, already had died and the prophet, who had eaten a little bit of it, fell sick. Here, the piece that was in the hand of the prophet had revealed the truth that had happened. In the same manner all our past, present and future deeds will speak about our actions. All deeds are recorded. All our speeches are standing recorded in the Ether. As we play and hear the tape-recorded songs, in the same way we will hear and see all that had happened in the past, what is happening now and what is going to happen provided we attain so much height of purification and progess spiritually. Shri Sai Baba used to tell about the past lives of His disciples. He had the knowledge of the past, present and future, that is the attribute of the Brahma the creator (the past), the attribute of the Vishnu the sustainer (the present), the attribute of the destroyer Shiva (the future). Only Allah is the knower of the past, present and future the one and the only one Trinity. The people who understand God by a single attribute call Him in their meaning as the Brahma, the Vishnu and the Maheshwar. The combinations of all the three is God - the cretor of the heavens, the earth and all that is between them. When the Trinity is the one, where is the need for us to think who is greater among them? Shri Sai Baba has brought under His umbrella the Musalmans, the Jains, the Buddhists, the Christians and all of us. What a great divinity He was/is. Is it an ordinary thing to speak from the tomb? Shri Sai Baba is alive in His eternal invisible form and replies “O” to the caller.

A Musalman is not a Christian. A Hindu brother is not a Musalman. But under the roof of Shri Sai Baba the Musalmans, the Hindus, the Christinas and all others have become one - the beloved children of Shri Sai Baba, thus He has bestowed the greatest boon on us that is the boon of understanding each other, caring for each other, and living in perpetual peace and friendship with each other. What other greatest boon we want? Notheing! But we want His blessings and His loving care, graceful, kind and benevolent hand to be placed on our heads which showers His bliss like the gentle rain that drops from the Heaven above.


N.M.Yusuf Ali Khan
Hyderabad-500 004.
The Big Wave

I positively believe that Shirdi Sai Baba has me in His care. Furthermore, He must have planned my life long ago. “You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe”. (Psalm 130 : 16).

When the January 1985 issue of ‘Shri Sai Leela’ reached my hands I was happy to learn that the much awaited ‘Annual Gathering’ would be held on the 27th and 28th January 1985. The situation at home was so critical that I was doubtful whether I would be able to participate in this annual meet.

My wife, Sai-mathi Subbalakshmi had just undergone a major surgery on the Uterus. She was on the recovery stage. In order to assist the family of my brother-in-law at Madras, who was hospitalized due to a stomach-disorder, my second son, Chi. Shankar had gone over there. If I too go away to Shirdi to attend the Sai Leela meet, there was no male member to assist my wife and daughters. Even in this dilemma, I knew Sainath has a plan for my life. At that moment I did not know but I was sure that He would take me to attend the Sai Lela meet at Shirdi. “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

As I made arrangements to go to Shirdi on the 25th afternoon by Bangalore-Miraj-Bombay Mahalakshmi Express, my mind was musing over the sweet and greatly musical verse of the Bhavatham (II: 2 :37), which proclaims the passage of man from wrethchedness to blessedness as follows: “Those who fill their ears with, and drink the nectar of, words relating to the blessed Lord, who is realised by saints as their own self, purify their hearts which have been made impure by sense attractions, and reach the presence of Lotus Feet.”

My three daughters were looking at me pathetically on the day of my departure to Shirdi i.e. on the 25th January 1985. I prayed to Sai Baba with all my heart and left home after giving ‘Udhi’ to all my family members and assuring that our guardian, angel, Shirdi Sai Baba will look after everybody and there was nothing to fear. I asked them to trust in Sainath’s grace:

“Trust in the Lord with all Thine heart and
Lean not unto Thine own understanding.
In all Thy ways acknowledge Him and
He shall direct Thy paths” (Prov. 3 : 5-6)

My last daughter Chi.Radhika accompanies me to the Railway Station to ‘see me off’ to Shirdi. We boarded the city bus at Vijayanagar terminus of Hubli and when the bus was about to cross the junction at Ashoknagar extension a gentleman riding a Scooter from the side-road dashed against the bus in which we were traveling. Being the peak-hour, the city bus was overcrowded. It stopped with a jolt. The passengers trembled with fear and some fell down.

With my chanting of Sainam incessantly, I was least perturbed and stood like a mountain by Sai grace. I prayed for the welfare of everybody.

If you include in your prayers a plea to be allowed to help others, amazing things may happen to you. They did to me The Scooterist was thrown off in the opposite direction (not below the wheels of the bus). His Scooter was completely damaged and the bus too was damaged a bit. Neither the Scooterist nor the bus passengers were injured.

The fundamental truth that flashed across my mind was that a Sai-devotee with his prayers to the Lord cannot only have himself but also other brothers and sisters who are with him. “He does not believe who does not live according to his belief (Thomas Fuller 17320”.

I was really happy that Lord Sainath saved one and all. Jesus said : “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you”. (Matthew 6 : 33). That is the answer for me. It is the answer for everyone.

I know that whatever happens Sainath’s hand is in it. And even if I do not know why, I can rest assured that He has good reason. I do not know all things that I should know yet, but I do not know that if I keep close to Him and try to do His will, I will keep finding answer during the rest of the days of my life. My only principle would be : “Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul, dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.”

When I narrated this soul-elevating experience at the Sai Leela meet on the 28th Jan. 1985, I could see several Sai-bandhus shedding tears of gratitude to our Mother Sai.

Dear Sai brothers and Sai sisters:
“Build a little fence of trust around you today,
Fill the space with loving deeds and therein say,
Look not through the sheltering bars upon tomorraow,
Sainath will help thee. Bear what comes of joy and sorrow”.


R.Radhakrishnan
Hubli 580 032 (Karnataka)
Abounding Sai Grace

On 5th August 1984, my colleagues and myself were in Bhubaneshwar to conduct a Product Seminar of our Company (Bharatia Cutler & Hammer Ltd.) in high spirit. The assignment over, we checked out of our hotel post-haste to catch the Puri Express bound for Howrah. When the Express chugged out of the station, I decided to rearrange my luggage for better convenience, I discovered then the loss of a pair of my newly-stitched costly dress. My unswerving faith in my Sadguru Shirdi Sai Baba made me cool; but the wisdom of Anandamayi Ma that “one should never bother over one’s loss and only leave it to one’s Guru if he is spiritually elevated” rang in my ears. That made me more calm. When we resumed duty at our Calcuta Office, I decided to try over the S.T. with my Bhubaneshwar Hotem Management, thinking that if my store of “karma” were good I might get my dress back; if not at least I would be spiritually elevated. After 3 days of strenuous effort, I received this message from the hotel over the trunk-line: “your dress is intact in room No.101”. When we colleagues checked out of the hotel, 3 unfamiliar brothers were also present. So it sent shivers of joy in me and I thanked Sai mentally. I got the dress back in a few days’ time.

Saigrace is abounding. The same August month on 18th, Saideepa, Saisudha, my wife Lalitha and self left Calcutta to attend my sister-in-law’s marriage in Mannargudi and arrived at Madras on 19th evening. I hailed an auto and landed at Foreshore Estate just to pay our respect to my 84 year old maternal grandfather there. After discharging the auto, my wife realised the loss of her handbag, containing the Calcutta Flat keys. I kept cool; but not my wife. She could not bring herself to the new grave situation. On 20th morning an auto pulled up close to our flat. Its driver alighted and drilled me with searching questions before he handed me my wife’s handbag. In gratitude to Shirdi Sai and his honesty, I gifted the driver with cash and availed the same auto to catch our train bound for Mannargudi. This trip was as pleasant as one would feel after a thunder shower on a sweltering day.

Did n’t Shirdi Sai Baba rightly affirm: “do not be anxious that I would be absent from you”.



T.R.Anand
Calcutta – 700 029 (West Bengal).
To
The Editor,
Shri Sai Leela Magazine.

Dear Sir,

I was overwhelmed to read your editorial in “Shri Sai Leela” of March 1985 and forced to state that it was pertinent and proper time to impress even common devotee as regards to prayer.

The special points raised by you which impressed me very much and noted below:

1. “Even when Mahatma Gandhi was on his tours he never missed the prayer. It would be sung at the fixed time”. The factor of fixed time is important because (God) Shri Sai Baba is Himself time (Kal) vide Shri Sai Ashtottar Shathnamavali serial number 11 “Om Kalaya Namaha”.

2. “Shri Radhakrishnaswamiji the president of the Sai Spiritual Centre at Bangalore………… he would always tell his devotees ‘I will pray to Shri Sai Baba for you. He will solve your difficulty. You also pray to Him’.”

3. “Shri Sai Baba was also a great believer in prayer. The fact that he always said “Allah Malik” shows that He was also recognizing some other superior being and praying to him.”

4. “Some devotees are in the habit of offering conditional prayers to Shri Sai Baba. They always offer prayer and say that if such and such a thing happens or if they get such and such a thing, they would offer such and such a thing to Shri Sai Baba. This sort of conditional prayer is not proper … we say that Shri Sai Baba knows the wants and needs of his devotees. Then how can we ask any thing mundane from Him? He would give every thing to His devotees according to their requirement. Our duty should therefore be to surrender ourselves completely to Him and take whatever He gives to us in this worldly life.”

5. “The sages and saints all over the world have been advocating the devotees to go on offering prayers to God sincerely in order to get peace of mind and happiness. As stated above Shri Sai Baba also has advised His devotees to offer prayers every day and if that is done by the Sai devotees, then they will get peace of mind and their wants in this mundane world will be fully satisfied. Then let us all Sai devotees offer Shri Sai Baba our sincere prayers.”

The above noted points of your editorial are very very important for an ordinary Sai devotee like me. I am very much grateful to you for your guidance shown in respect of prayers to Shri Sai Baba.

Yours Sincerely


M. Rama Rao
Bangalore – 560 078 (Karnataka).

PEARLS IN A NECKLACE

We have read in ‘Shri Sai Leela’ since August 1984, many distinguished Sai-bandhus expounding the nature of religion and the noble role it has played in the development of individual mind and national culture, all over the world and throughout the ages. May I crave your indulgence to sing in a different tune and place before the readers of ‘Shri Sai Leela’ some thoughts which have haunted me since my youth? History is replete with stories of horrible deeds, perpetrated in the name of religion, all over the world throughout the ages which made such a deep impression upon my mind that I have never ceased to lament with a slight change in Wordsworth’s famous line : “What religion has made of man”, as I saw before me a panorama of burning of heretics in batches before an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd, destruction of hundreds and thousand of villages and massacring of tens of thousands, desecration of temples, mosques and churches in the most ruthless manner and the terrible flow of blood to satiate the thirst of God.

Was it all accidental?

Is all this preventable?

My mind says ‘no’, For, there are four inherent features of religion which make these things almost inevitable.

The first is that religion from the very nature of things, is an article of faith and belief, uncontrolled by reason, like a boat, with a sail but without a helm, victim to capricious wind.

Secondly, such faith usually, if not universally, centres round a prophet or a doctrine and dogma.

The third, a consequence of the second, is the belief that ‘My prophet or doctrine is the only true prophet or doctrine.’

Fourthly, the very high regard entertained for religion above everything else in human life- for life, here on earth, is ephemeral, whereas life hereafter, whose welfare depends entirely on the pursuit of the true religion, is eternal.

It will be found that on ultimate analysis these four integral parts of religion easily account for the sectarianism, bigotry, and fanaticism which, to use the words of Swami Vivekananda, “have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair.” When a man kicks or cuts the throat of one who does not believe in his prophet or doctrine, he consoles himself with the pious thought that a little pain to one sinner in this life will save him and others from eternal perdition, and that he has set a noble example of securing eternal welfare to all.

It is all very good to say that the religion referred to above is not true, but false religion. Call it by whatever name you like, but that is the only religion professed by 99 per cent of the followers of any particular religion, nay, more. A religion ceases to be a religion, as pointed out by Sai brother Radhakrishnanji in his article ‘Roasary of Religion’ (Feb. ’85 Shri Sai Leela) and becomes morality or philosophy, if it is divorced from the four inherent features referred to above. They grow with the growth of religion and decay with its decline. The reason why the misdeeds of religion mentioned above are less prevalent today in some religions than before, is the fact that religion has now much less hold than before on the people.

Can religion be maintained without the inherent evils?

It is only possible, as Lord Sainath made different devotees to a pass a few self-denying ordinances. Sai Satcharita is full of such incidents. The first is to ababdon the idea that one prophet alone is the true prophet and the rest are false. The second is to put a moratorium on the laudable programme of saving other soul, individually or en masse by conversion to the ‘true’ faith. The third is to allow reason, if not to guide, at least to control religion.

There is a Hindu prayer: “They call you by so many names, they divide you, as it were, by different names, yet in each of these is to be found your omnipotence. You are reached by any of them.”

Dear Sai Brothers and Sai Sisters: You may reach Him through Sai Baba, through Jesus Christ, through Krishna, through Budha, but you know when you reach Him, Sai Baba, Krishna, Jesus Christ or Buddha melt into that ocean of Sat-Chid-Ananda-Brahman.

In conclusion, I am reminded of Christ’s parable about the sower of the seed, the seed being the word of God…………. “The seed is put in the ground, earth, air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth or the water? No. It becomes a plant, it develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth and the water, converts them into plant substance and grows into a plant.



Shivajyothi M. Nanjappa
Ananthapur District (AP).